Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-04-09
TWO CENTURIES AGO.
A Bit Of American Hi-tory-t'hs"tsuq.s
Lake.

ireland and the vicinity Of the loChS Of Scot
land. Far in the southwest corner, a. If ham'
Nature had dropped one jewel from the string
Lake Chautauqua sparkies between wnoic,
hills and fruitful fieli> FifteSn huuir,Ni fct,
above ses level, 1t eni"vs the di>tuctinn o
being the highest navigahle water IN tn,
United States, and from it, shores may l.
seen the blue Erie, only seven Imlt.> away
but so feet below.
One point ON the shore Of Chautsulua has
within the last ten or twelve wears, become q
populous summer city, the seat al tue noM
almost world renowned thsutsuqua Assem-
hlv. Within easy reach OF oar largest thre,
states, 1t i thronged annually during Jul,
and August. by thousands Of health an,
pleasure seekers and students
The interesting historical events connected
with tins lake are ~orth more than p,SsIn.
notice
The courage and enterprise Of France as q
nation two centuries ago were well repre-
sented in the careers and work of her early
explorers, the bnliest and most energetic oi
whom was La Sale He had i-ean a priest
but, chatting under the restraints Of npons>tIc
life, and burning with desire for eS, ,It..meur
and adventure, In advanced the theory that
the Great Lakes were the long sought north
west passage the coveted short route tc
India, and askel his sovereign for p-armis-
sioa and means to lead an eNI%SditIon through
them to prove its truth.
In l6'9 he sent his lieutenant. Tonty. up
the Niagara to Cayuga creek and there csuse,i
to be built and launched the largest vessel
that had ever sailed the American lakes. As
La Sale, Tonty. Father Hennepin and thirty
sailors >aileSl southwest along the Erie coast
they passed the region now embraced within
the limits of Cbautauqus county, and they
were doubtless the first white men to look upon
the Chautauqus hills. La Sales courage. tact
and perseverance brought him wonderful
success in exploration and discovery. and be,
with Marquette and Joliet, carried the
standard Of France through the wilderness
from the st. Liwrenoe to the Mississippi
river and then to the Gulf Of Mexico.
One discovery not often mentioned in his
tories, but clearly Described by his biographer,
Is that Of Chautauqus lake, mentioned as =
hsAAe iske siN or seven mikes south of Lake
Erie, the mouth OF which opens TO the south
esstwsrir
MANY disasters overlook the brave ex-
lHpesy, and, at last, a tragic death; but,
though murdered at the age Of ~. and after
only eighteen Years spent in the new world,
he had more than doubled the amount of ter
ritory owned by France on the day when he
first passed Chautauqua lake.
France claimed, by right of discovery and
occupation, in addition TO Canada Chautau-
qua county. the Ohio valley and the vast do
main called louisiana; and not only did she
claim it. but she went on strengthening the
forts planted at intervals along the river val
Ieys, building new ones, establishing trading
posts and building boats.
At length England became jealous OF this
French claim, FOR by the charter Of James
England owned all the land from the Atlantic
10 the Pacific south of the northern shore of
Lake Erie No wonder that the nation that
had striven 20 wrest Canada from the valiant
lew who held it should look with covetous
eyes toward the rict,er and scantily defended
Louisiana
Both nations began taking measures for as
seTtInc their counterclains. In l1ig French
captain WIS sent TO bury nj stated intervals
series of leaden plates engraved with
formal statement Of possession of the land in
the name of the French king. He started
with force Of 400 Canadians and Indians.
going by water up the Niagara and Erie to
the mouth of Chautauqua creek, near West
field, y. y. This creek is not connected with
the lake Of the same name, but between the
two is the celebrated watershed which sepa-
rates the rainfall by sending part northward
to Lake Erie to sparkle and foam in the sub
lime Niagara, the other part southwark
through Chautauqua lake and the Allegheny
and Ohio rivers TO mingle with the great
Father of Waters and finally TO contribute
its share in forming the great gulf stream
that warns the shores of two continents.
the French captain led his men over seven
nles Of portage TO Chautauqua lake. They
eucamped near its foot and the next day
VasSed through the narrow outlet, burying q
few miles beyond the first leaden plate They
continued their journey to the mouth Of the
Ohio, burying six plates, and returned by the
way of the Great Miami
Later DuQuesne, the governor general of
Canada, gave orders for building two forts,
one by Lake Erie, the other at the end OF the
portage on Cbautauqua lake. Two hundred
of his men in four days cut a wagon road
from Lake Erie to Lake Chautauqua The
early settlers spoke Of il as -the Oil French
road The last few miles still form the high
way between westfield and Mayville. termi-
mating at the foot Of the principal street Of
the last named village.
The part played by the English is wen
known. The following year the Nirginians
began the erection Of fort at the junction
of the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers,
and the Ohio company" commenced making
settlements along the banks. Governor Din
widdie, Of Virginia, wished to send mes
sage of remonstrance To the French for their
-ncroachments, and George Washington,
then but - years Of age, was dispatched on
this difficult and dangerous mission. The
nearest French fort was at Erie. and there,
after weeks of hardship and peril, the mes
sage was delivered and the answers refusal
to give up the poets-received. When, at the
end of eleven weeks. this reply was delivered
10 Dinwiddie, active operations were at once
resolved upon, which proved to he the begin
ming OF the French and Indian war
Washington. at head OF "a small body Of
men, Was sent To finish and protect the fort
t-gan hr the Ohio company, but the French,
taking advantage of the short passage by way
of Chautauqua lake swept down upon the
works, completed them, AMI naEirSi the fort
DuQIesne. Toward the clos. Of this war,
when the fort again changed hands. If was
named after the great conImoner, " illiam
Pitt
The portage road and the lake were the con-
Meeting links b..i w-en the two French prov
inces and were well patronizei ali through
these stirring times. la the turbulent period
of the revolution the Chautauqua forests WIT
nes~ed many frays. In lssg Col. Bruadhead
destroyed all the Indian villages near Chan
tauqua. and left ruin and devastation wbcr-
ever his purl->e> led him. Three Years Inter
plan WAS formed for ayenslnS the lar
tariffs Of Broaihead's raid A party Of
nearly sgU British soldiers and Indiars from
Canada spent the summer months about the
lake constructing canoes and making other
preparations for an attack On Fort litt.
Rumors Of the great strength Of the fort led
them To abandon the plan, but portion Of
the force DESTROYED the nearest village. and
carried away its inhabitants captive. This
was after the surrender Of CORVALLIS had
practically ended the war. About sixty wears